Blood from Stone is a 2020 American horror film about modern-day love-driven vampires living amongst the urban detritus of Las Vegas and LA.
Written, art directed, photographed, edited and directed by Geoff Ryan (Fray), the movie stars Vanja Kapetanovic, Gabriella Toth, Nika Khitrova and Eric Cotti. Produced by Michael Caradonna, Carl Ciarfalio and J.P. Romano. The soundtrack score was composed by Geoff Black.
Reviews:
“When I first thought vampire western, I imagined it literally, and while this is not that, it is so much more. This feels more like a character study to me, a study in what happens to a person, or in this case a vampire, when they have been denied something they desire for a long time. We see that relapse in all its gory splendour here.” Another Millennial Reviewer
“The script is very good, the movie is beautifully shot and the characters cast play it well, it just feels like the drama could have worked just as well without vampires, making the movie feel like it was made for vampires rather than an audience who enjoy watching them. There’s certainly something for everyone in Blood from Stone and Geoff Ryan is a great director, but perhaps he could have chosen one theme or the other and stuck with it.” BRWC
“Though well aware of the monstrosity of its characters and limned with gore, Blood from Stone is essentially a film about love – shorn of the usual sentiment, lived in the raw […] An impressive independent production taking a grown-up look at a subject too often rendered trite, this film may not be high on the radar but it’s well worth a look.” Eye for Film
“Blood from Stone is a western thriller. That happens to be about vampires. Vampires trying to deal with life in the 21st Century. It’s as if Sam Peckinpah directed Only Lovers Left Alive. It’s one of those one-person independent productions, with filmmaker Geoff Ryan taking on many of the roles, like Robert Rodriguez.” Filmhounds
“Ryan replicates that dark and unsettling atmosphere that made Near Dark so special, and whilst the vampire agenda isn’t pushed as hard, there are still components that could see the two marry up nicely in a double feature. The score plays heavily towards the Western-style whereas the nighttime visuals play more to the horror elements. Reflecting the rather mundanity of vampire life, Ryan keeps the colour palette rather muted and neutrally toned.” The Hollywood News
“Blood From Stone is not a wild ride or a horrifying affair, but it does have its charm. Its intimate portrayal of the vampire lifestyle sets it apart from most films dealing with the subject and the cast is strong enough to convey the emotional weight intended by the filmmaker, whose competency in creating a film of this emotional weight is on full display.” Pop Geeks
“Blood from Stone looks at vampires as a modern family unit. It goes from normality to horror in a heartbeat. The blend of normality and savage killing works well for the film. It was not a predictable vampire film, which I enjoyed. I liked seeing vampires in a modern setting who are already living and embracing the modern age.” Pop Horror
“The acting can seem a little amateurish at times, but then is interspersed with some really hard-hitting scenes that are superbly well performed. The scene between Viktoria and Jure in the bar after they go hunting is my favourite in the whole film. Really simply presented, just two people sitting in a bar, but when delivered this well, it becomes a fantastic piece of character work.” Trailer Trashed
Release:
Blood from Stone was available on Digital HD from 31st October 2020.
Main cast and characters:
Vanja Kapetanovic … Jure Alilovic
Gabriella Toth … Darya Nicolayvna
Nika Khitrova … Viktoria Alilovic
Eric Cotti … Raymond Atman
J. Michael Silver … Smith
Trenton Brisco … Bar Patron #2
Aaron Castillo … Sullivan
Jennifer Elizabeth … Liz
Andriana Garbiso … Detective Ramirez
Shawn Hawkins … Greg Heuermann
Theron LaFountain … Clerk
Sarah Moliski … Rachel
Leland Smith … Mark
Beckie King … Patricia
Filming locations:
Nevada and Los Angeles
Trailer:
